Fast charging medical oxygen dispenser

ABSTRACT

A fast charging medical oxygen dispenser including a specially designed valve which has a fixed valve seat and a freely movable valve body. In dispensing position the valve body nests closely within the valve seat with the valve body having an extremely small dispensing opening which allows the gas to pass from a storage space and then through the valve for dispensing purposes. In fast charging condition the valve body is urged somewhat away from the valve seat with the valve body having an enlarged slot which is closed off during the dispensing action, but which is opened when the valve body is urged away from the valve seat so that gas can quickly pass through the enlarged slot and into the storage area.

D United States Patent [1113,570,714

Fe son 2,550,373 4/1951 Ortloffet a1. 137/513.3X [72] Inventor 58,2 z i Box Lederach, 2,998,168 8/1961 Waldherr 222/402.16X

19450 Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman pp 820,167 Attorney-Caesar, Rivise, Bernstein & Cohen [22] Filed Apr. 29, 1969 [45] Patented Mar. 16,1971

[.54] OXYGEN DISPENSER ABSTRACT: A fast charging medical oxygen dispenser including a specially designed valve which has a fixed valve seat [52] U.S. Cl 222/3, and a freely movable valve body, In dispensing position the 4 222/402- valve body nests closely within the valve seat with the valve [51] Int. having an extremely small dispensing opening which a]- [50] Field Of Search 137/513, 3; lows the gas to pass from a storage space and then through the 22 /3, g 133F165 valve for dispensing purposes. In fast charging condition the Consulted), 20 valve body is urged somewhat away from the valve seat with the valve body having an enlarged slot which is closed off dur- References C'ted ing the dispensing action, but which is opened when the valve UNITED STATES PATEN body is urged away from the valve seat so that gas can quickly 1,984,375 12/1934 Johnston 222/3 pass through the enlarged slot and into the storage area.

PATENIED HAM 6197i INVENTOR HARRY 0. FERGUSON ATTORNEYS:

FAST CHGHNG MEDICAL OXYGEN DISPENSER This invention relates to a fast charging medical oxygen dispenser and in particular relates to a new and improved valve that is highly useful in the medical oxygen field.

The use of a personal medical oxygen dispenser has become quite popular in view of the ease with which the personal oxygen spheres may be stored, and then quickly obtained for use in any emergency situation.

The personal oxygen dispensers presently in use basically involve a storage space, normally in the form of a sphere, for the oxygen with a connection being maintained between the storage space and a bicyclelilce valve being provided to obtain a quick dispensing action of the oxygen. Under present practice a small metering opening of approximately .003 to .004 is provided in a barrier between the storage space and the releasable valve pin of the bicyclelike valve in order to insure the proper control dispensing of the medical oxygen.

When the oxygen in the storage space has been exhausted, it is necessary to return the medical oxygen dispenser for refilling. The present commercial. practice is simply to apply the gas pressure to a master oxygen cylinder against the barrier having the opening of .003 to .004 inches. Thus, the refilling process is exceedingly slow and takes approximately 32 minutes to accomplish.

While it is possible to remove the barrier for refilling purposes, such removal has proved to be impractical and costly. For this reason, there is presently an economic balance in favor of the refilling technique which requires 32 minutes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to retain the barrier having an opening of .003or .004 inches, but to provide the valve with a fast refilling mechanism whereby the barrier may be safely and effectively bypassed during the refilling operation.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fast charging medical oxygen dispenser which is relatively low in cost and susceptible to being mass produced.

The foregoing as well as other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a fast charging and slow dispensing valve which communicates with a storage space for gas, the valve comprising a valve housing with a bore that has a somewhat enlarged area adjacent the storage space with the bore being formed in the end of the valve housing remote from the storage space, the bore extending through the housing and into the enlarged area which communicates with the storage space, the bore being closed off at its end by a releasable valve pm.

A fixed valve seat is formed in the enlarged area, with the valve seat having an inclined inner surface that is shaped to open away from the dispensing end of the bore. A freely movable valve body is positioned in the enlarged area between the valve seat and the storage space with the valve body having an extremely small dispensing opening which normally allows gas to pass from the storage space and toward the valve pin in a slow dispensing action when the valve body is in a normal position nesting within the valve seat. The valve body has an outer surface which conforms generally to the inner surface of the valve seat to form a seal between the surfaces in the normal position. I

The valve body may be urged to a retracted position during fast charging, with the valve body moving toward the storage space and away from the valve seat. The valve body has an enlarged slot which is closed off when the valve body is in the normal position, but the slot communicates with the enlarged area and the storage space when the valve body is in retracted position.

The valve body is normally urged to the normal position by the pressure of gas in the storage area, but the valve body is urged to the retracted position during fast charging when superior gas pressure is applied in a direction from the valve pin toward the valve body. In this way charging gas passes through the enlarged slot and directly into the storage space rather than having to be forced through the extremely small dispensing opening. However, in dispensing the valve body is in its normal position so that the gas is forced to pass through the extremely small dispensing opening in a slow dispensing action. 7 g

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a valve used in the fast charging medical oxygen dispenser embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a freely moveable valve body which is used in the valve of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectionalview of the valve as it is associated with a portion of the fast charging medical oxygen dispenser of the present invention during the charging operation.

Referring now in greater detail to the various FIGS. of the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, there is shown generally at 10 in FIG. 5 a fast charging medical oxygen dispenser embodying the present invention. It will be seen from FIG. 5 that the dispenser 10 basically comprises a sphere 12 and a valve 14. The sphere 12 includes a storage space 15 for medical oxygen or other gas, and has the typical heavy, thick walls which are necessary so that a gas under pressure is properly used.

Extending from sphere 12 is a neck portion 16 which is partially threaded at 17. The threads 17 permit the reception of a charging coupling as shown in FIG. 5 and which will be discussed hereinafter.

As seen in FIG. 5 the valve 14 is comprised of neck portion 16 from which extends a valve housing 20 having a generally central bore 22 which extends from dispensing end 24 back to a chamber which may be an enlarged area 26 that communicates through bore extension 28 to the storage space 15. A safety plug 30 communicates through passage 32 to the bore 28 in the event normal flow of gas from the storage space 15 toward dispensing end 24 is obstructed.

The valve housing 20 is threaded into neck portion 16 by virtue of complementary threads on the housing and the neck portion. See FIGS. 2 and 5. This arrangement affords easy access to the valve body 44 and other internal elements of the valve.

It will be seen that the bore 22 is somewhat enlarged adjacent dispensing end 24 in order to permit the reception of a releasable, spring loaded valve pin 34 which closely resembles a bicycle valve. When the pin 34 is pushed inwardly the releasably bicycle valve 36 is opened, but as soon as the pressure against pin 34 is removed the pin 34 will return to its normal position and the flow 36 will be closed thereby preventing further dispensing of oxygen. It is to be noted that the valve housing possesses the usual outer configuration which is well known to those skilled in the art and to which no claim is herein made.

Referring now to enlarged area 26 in FIG. 2 it will be seen that the enlarged area 26 is defined by a tapered section 33 which is so shaped to open away from the dispensing end of the valve. The enlarged area 26 is further defined by a straight section 40 which extends from the tapered section 38 toward the auxiliary bore 28. The valve seat 42 is formed in the tapered section 38, with the valve seat 42 also having an inclined inner surface so shaped to open away from dispensing end 24 of bore 22.

With further reference to FIG. 2 it will be seen that a valve body 44 is freely and movably positioned in the enlarged area 26 between the valve seat 42 and the auxiliary bore 28.

opening which has a diameter of .003 to .004 inches. When the valve body 44 is urged by gas pressure from within sphere 12 to a nesting position against valve seat 42 the oxygen from sphere 12 can move into bore 22 only by passing through the extremely small opening 46.

As further seen in FIG. 2 the opening 46 is formed in wall 48 which is closest to bore 22. The opening 46 communicates with a chamber 50 that is defined by inclined conical wall 52 of the valve body 44. It will be seen that the inclined conical wall 52 conforms generally to the inner surface of tapered section 38 of valve seat 42. Thus, when the valve body 44 is urged against the valve seat 42 a tight, seal will be established between the valve body 44 and the valve seat 42.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the valve seat 42 will be of brass since it will be machined into the valve housing 22 that is preferably of brass. The valve body 44 is also preferably made of brass since it has been found that a satisfactory gas seal is established between valve seat 42 and valve body 44. It is to be understood that one or both of valve seat 42 and valve body 44 may be made of other materials, such as metal and plastic, like tefion.

With further reference to FIG. 4 it will be seen that the valve body 44 also possesses a wall 54 which is remote from wall 48. It will be seen that the wall 54 has a transverse slot 56 formed in it. This slot 56 follows for fast charging of the sphere 12 since it enables the charging gas to bypass the extremely small opening 46, but the slot 56 is closed off when the valve body 44 is urged against the valve seat 42. This is the normal position of the freeiy disposed valvebody 44, and since the siot 56 is closed off in the normal position the gas from sphere 12 can escape into bore 22 only by passing through the extremely small dispensing opening 46.

However, during fast charging superior gas pressure is applied through the bore 22 and against the valve body 44 in order to urge the valve body 44 to the retracted position of FIG. 2. it will thus be seen that the charging gas can pass between valve seat 42 and valve body 44, and then enter the slot 56 to pass through opening 58 in teflon seal 60. The charging gas then flows into bore extension 28 and finally to storage space 15 in the sphere 12.

it will be seen that the teflon seal 60 includes a sidewall 62 with the seal 60 being held in place by axial pressure under tightening of threads 17 and 66.

The fast charging operation is shown in FIG. wherein a coupling 64 is positioned about the valve housing 20. The coupling 64 has threads 66 which engage the threads 17 of the valve housing. The coupling 64 is actually a shroud having a sidewall 68 with an open end 70 that is closed off by a resilient cap 72 having a pressure exerting point 74. An extension 76 is provided which includes an inlet port 78 that communicates with charging cylinder 80. It can be seen that the extension 76 is received within neck 82 of the cylinder 80.

In order to deliver gas from charging cylinder 80 to storage space in sphere 12 the coupling 64 is tightly engaged upon threads 17 so that projection 74 depresses or may be actuated to depress pin 34 to allow the gas to pass into bore 22. The pressure of the charging gas is therefore applied against valve body 44 to urge the valve body 44 to the retracted position of FIG. 2. The charging gas then passes between the valve body 44 and the charging gas then pass valve seat 32 in space 84 to slot 56 and finally to bore 28 which communicates with storage space 15.

As soon as the gas pressure within storage space 15 reaches a desired value, the coupling 64 is backed away to allow pin 34 to return to its normaily closed position. Once the coupling 64 has been removed, the pin 34 may be manually depressed to bleed a bit of gas out of storage space 15. This has the effect of applying the pressure of gas in storage space 15 against valve body 44 to urge it into nesting position within the valve seat 42 so that the gas from storage space 15 can escape only through extremely small opening 46, and then only when the pin 34 is de ressed.

t is therefore seen that the storage space is quickly charged,

but that the gas from storage space 15 can escape only through extremeiy small opening 46.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fuiiy illustrate my invention that others may, by applying current or future knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

lclaim:

I. in a fast charging and slow dispensing valve for a gas under pressure, said valve communicating with a storage space for said pressurized gas, said storage space being contained in a hollow sphere having a neck portion that is at least partially threaded, said valve comprising a valve housing having a bore including a chamber adjacent said storage space, said valve housing being threadedly engaged in said neck portion, said bore being formed in a dispensing end of said vaive housing remote from said storage space, said bore extending through said housing and into said chamber which communicates with said storage space,'a fixed valve seat formed in said chamber, said valve seat having an inclined inner surface so shaped to open away from said dispensing end of said bore, and a freely movable valve body positioned in said chamber between said valve seat and said space, said valve body having an extremely small dispensing opening of 0.003 to 0.004 inches in diameter which normally allows said gas to pas outwardly from said storage space in a slow dispensing action when said valve body is in a normal position nesting within said valve seat with said valve body having an outer surface which conforms generally to the inner surface of said valve seat to form a seal between said surfaces in said normal position, said valve body also at times being urged to a retracted position during fast charging toward said storage space and away from said valve seat, said valve body also having an enlarged slot which is closed off when said valve body is in said normal position, but which communicates with said chamber and said storage space when said valve body is in said retracted position, said valve body being normally urged to said normal position by the pressure of said gas in said storage area, said valve body being urged to said retracted position during fast charging when superior gas pressure is applied in a direction toward said storage area whereby said storage space may be quickly charged with the gas, but wherein said gas will be dispensed slowly at a controlled rate through said extremesmall opening, and a spring loaded valve pin covering the outer end of said bore such that when said pin is depressed to open pwition for dispensing purposes, said bore is in communication with the atmosphere.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said gas is medical oxygen.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said chamber is an enlarged area.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said valve body has a generally frustoconical outer surface.

5. The invention of claim 4 including a seal positioned between said neck portion and said valve housing. 

1. In a fast charging and slow dispensing valve for a gas under pressure, said valve communicating with a storage space for said pressurized gas, said storage space being contained in a hollow sphere having a neck portion that is at least partially threaded, said valve comprising a valve housing having a bore including a chamber adjacent said storage space, said valve housing being threadedly engaged in said neck portion, said bore being formed in a dispensing end of said valve housing remote from said storage space, said bore extending through said housing and into said chamber which communicates with said storage space, a fixed valve seat formed in said chamber, said valve seat having an inclined inner surface so shaped to open away from said dispensing end of said bore, and a freely movable valve body positioned in said chamber between said valve seat and said space, said valve body having an extremely small dispensing opening of 0.003 to 0.004 inches in diameter which normally allows said gas to pass outwardly from said storage space in a slow dispensing action when said valve body is in a normal position nesting within said valve seat with said valve body having an outer surface which conforms generally to the inner surface of said valve seat to form a seal between said surfaces in said normal position, said valve body also at times being urged to a retracted position during fast charging toward said storage space and away from said valve seat, said valve body also having an enlarged slot which is closed off when said valve body is in said normal position, but which communicates with said chamber and said storage space when said valve body is in said retracted position, said valve body being normally urged to said normal position by the pressure of said gas in said storage area, said valve body being urged to said retracted position during fast charging when superior gas pressure is applied in a direction toward said storage area whereby said storage space may be quickly charged with the gas, but wherein said Gas will be dispensed slowly at a controlled rate through said extremely small opening, and a spring loaded valve pin covering the outer end of said bore such that when said pin is depressed to open position for dispensing purposes, said bore is in communication with the atmosphere.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said gas is medical oxygen.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said chamber is an enlarged area.
 4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said valve body has a generally frustoconical outer surface.
 5. The invention of claim 4 including a seal positioned between said neck portion and said valve housing. 